I Did Remember
by Salem-Angelus
Summary: Post IWRU fic. please R&R. Summary Within.


TITLE: "I Did Remember"  
  
AUTHOR: Salem  
  
EMAIL: Salem_Angelus@hotmail.com  
  
FEEDBACK: Would be lovely.  
  
ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: This site or ask (  
  
SUMMARY: After Angel returns to Sunnydale, he and Buffy fight. Buffy has a dream about her and Angel but is that all it was? Buffy wakes up confused and finds Riley. After a fight with a demon, Buffy blacks out to be rescued by a badly beaten up Angel. Buffy confides in Willow and the rest of the gang to help Angel but when Riley is told and tries to stop them, everyone turns against him.  
  
CONTENT/WARNINGS: Buffy/Angel, Some Violence  
  
SPOILERS: Angel Season 1 "IWRU", Buffy Season 4 "The Yoko Factor"  
  
RATING: 15 (PG-14 for the American readers) It's what you would see on the show.  
  
Disclaimer: Evil Joss Whedon owns them.grrrr ********************************************************************** A naked Angel ran back to the bed with all kinds of chocolaty goodness stacked high in his arms. Dropping them onto the bed, he climbed back in. Opening a tub of ice cream, he spoon-fed his Buffy, who was wearing his shirt.  
  
"This is a dream," she said as she closed her eyes, savouring the ice cream. " Your human for like a minute and already there's cookie-dough- fudge-mint-chip in your fridge" She smiled.  
  
"God, I love food" Angel smiled cheekily at her. Buffy smiled back warmly and fed him some ice cream on a biscuit.  
  
"Food is good" she replied.  
  
"Why didn't you ever tell me about chocolate and peanut butter?" Angel asked swallowing the ice cream. Buffy slid up the bed and rested her elbow on the pillow. Angel sank back into the pillows and looked at her for the answer.  
  
"Well, I figured if your vamp taste buds couldn't really savour it, it would only hurt you, you know?" Pausing the look into his eyes, Buffy added, "By the way, I'm over the whole needing to be mature thing. That time you just spent in the kitchen? That was enough time apart"  
  
"Too much" Angel said and leaned down to kiss Buffy. When Buffy opened her eyes, Angel was gone, so was the ice cream and the stench of cooked mayor filled her nostrils.  
  
"Good afternoon sleepy" Riley's voice came from behind her and she rubbed her eyes. She turned to look at her new lover lying beside her in the abandoned school.  
  
"Afternoon? Did I fall asleep?" She arranged her hair a little neater than it was. "What time is it?" She asked, half in a yawn.  
  
"Time we got to Giles' house to tell him about Angel coming back last night" Reality hit Buffy again.this time a little harder. It had happened, he did return to her. Her head was still fuzzy from last night encounter with Angel and she couldn't remember a thing.  
  
"What happened?" Buffy asked Riley seriously, after which she noticed his wounds. "Your hurt" She reached to touch the bruise on Riley's head. He flinched away from her.  
  
"I'm ok, it's nothing. But we should still tell Giles. He should know Angel was here" That name sent a happy shiver down Buffy's spine. A shiver of joy that she hadn't experienced since Angel left Sunnydale.  
  
"Uh" Buffy blinked, "What did Angel want last night?" Riley looked at her puzzled.  
  
"Are you ok? I mean you spoke to him mostly. I only got to see his fists but even they were a blur" Riley joked.  
  
"He hit you?" Buffy couldn't believe Angel would get that jealous.  
  
"Only once or twice" Riley lied. The last thing he wanted to tell Buffy that Angel had nearly beat him to a mushy pulp and then watch her run to L.A to "sort things out". "It's ok, I mean I understand what he is going through" Riley lied again.  
  
"No" Buffy muttered, "I don't think you can" She got out of bed, ready dressed, as she never got undressed last night. She grabbed her coat and headed out the door.  
  
"This is not good" Riley muttered to himself and picked up the phone to call Giles.  
  
"Buffy?" Xander asked surprised, "What are you doing here?" He shifted his weight at the door, rearranging his hair.  
  
"I need to talk" came the simply answer, almost a plea. Xander gestured into his basement bedroom and put on a shirt as he followed Buffy in.  
  
"Whats up?" He asked, sitting opposite her on his inflatable chair.  
  
"Riley" She paused. "Riley said Angel came back last night" she looked at Xander, "Did he?"  
  
"Uh." Xander stuttered.  
  
"Tell Me", she almost ordered, " I have a right to know"  
  
"Buffy, I swear I only know 'cos Will told me.not that she told me to spite you 'cos you said not to say anything.wait, don't you remember?" Buffy looked into her hands and then back up at Xander.  
  
"Not what really happened" she said. Xander looked puzzled.  
  
"What do you mean? Willow told me that you and Angel got in a fight and Riley got in the way.or something"  
  
"We fought?" Buffy was pleading for an answer.  
  
"I only know what Willow told me and you told her" Xander concluded. "Why don't you go ask Giles? I'm sure he will know whats going no" He stood up and opened the door. Buffy walked out of the door thanking him and headed for Giles' apartment.  
  
As she walked down into the courtyard something wasn't right. Buffy could sense something around but couldn't place the feeling. It was like she was in another world and only she knew she was there. A world where she felt safe. A world with  
  
"Angel?" She called softly, almost a question as she walked around the corner.  
  
"Hmm? Who's there?" Came the kind English accent of her watcher. "Oh, Buffy there you are. Riley called, he is awfully worried" Giles noticed her blank expression. "Are you ok?" Giles land a gentle hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, I'm feeling a little confused right now" She looked up into Giles' eyes. "Riley called worried about what?"  
  
"You actually" Giles said "He told me about Angel. Where did he go?"  
  
"Angel? Back to L.A I guess. Riley said we talked and Xander said we fought. I don't know who to believe Giles. It's confusing and I have this feeling, like my brain is trying to tell me something"  
  
"Get more sleep perhaps?" Giles offered in comfort. "You look exhausted Buffy"  
  
"Maybe but I have to patrol. Adam is still out there and with the government still after Riley I have to keep my eyes open. Anyone could be a threat"  
  
"I suppose you are right. Adam is still at large and we still don't know that much about why he was made in the first place. Your sure you fell up to it Buffy? Patrolling in mean" Giles asked her, trying to persuade her to go home and rest.  
  
"I'm fine" was her simple answer and Giles accepted it. Seeing her out of his apartment Giles debated weather or not to call Riley. Night was approaching and if anything went wrong Buffy would get hurt, slayer strength or not.  
  
The cemetery was dark but nothing new there. Vampires had become more and more confident under Adam's command and Buffy was finding it difficult to kill her usual numbers. Demon activity had also decreased for whatever reason but any that Buffy did find didn't make it long enough to increase numbers. Turning around the corner of an old mausoleum Buffy was struck but an arm. A very large Arm infact, that belonged to a demon host. Staggering backwards and feeling very dizzy, Buffy tried to keep her cool as the demon approached her for a second round. Armed with only a stake Buffy had no choice but to run but her legs were weak. The demon caught up with her in no time bashing her over the back of the head. Buffy fell forward over the edge of a steep drop, hitting her head several times on the way down. Finally landing at the bottom of the hill, covered in mud and leaves, Buffy blacked out.  
  
When Buffy opened her eyes, her head felt like it was about to explode. Swollen and bruised she tried to sit up but was beat by the urge to lie down.  
  
"Argh, my head" she muttered to herself, writhing around in pain. Then she realised that she wasn't outside anymore. It was dark outside, obviously still night, and it was pitch black wherever she was. It seemed Buffy was lying on a bed. A bed she knew she had been on before. Buffy's vision was a little blurred from her attack so she didn't attempt to move around.  
  
"Good, you're awake" Came a gentle voice.very familiar to Buffy.  
  
"Angel?" Buffy asked. The way she always said his voice like a question warmed his heart. Angel walked over to the bed in darkness and placed a damp cloth over the gash Buffy's forehead. She flinched for a second before she calmed and relaxed into the pillows.  
  
"I followed you on patrol" Angel confessed out of nowhere. "I saw you get attacked and killed the demon before it got to you in the ditch". Buffy was so tired she barely processed what he was saying. "I picked you up and brought you here"  
  
"What? Whats the time Angel?" Buffy asked worried.  
  
"It's 1am Buffy. You've been out cold for about 4 hours"  
  
"Oh god" Buffy tried to sit up and unknowingly grasped Angel's arm in the process. "Where's the door?" She demanded.  
  
"I can't let you go Buffy.your injured and weak. You'll never get home without getting hurt" The words seemed to make sense to Buffy and she sat back on the bed. Buffy sighed.  
  
"Well, can you at least turn on a light or something?" Buffy felt the weight on the bed decrease as Angel got up and walked towards the switch. After what seemed like forever, and without saying a word, Angel turned on the light and faced Buffy again, holding his bloodstained hand to his side.  
  
"Oh my god Angel, your hurt!" Angel looked sheepishly at Buffy then at his wounds.  
  
"I'll heal," he said leaning against the doorframe, the gaping slice across his ribs still bleeding heavily. Buffy dragged herself off of the bed and staggered over to Angel, holding him up against the wall.  
  
"Ok, I've been out cold for 4 hours and how long have you been bleeding? Probably longer Angel" Buffy stop mid sentence as Angel slipped a little down the wall. "No Angel, stay awake" Buffy coaxed trying to hold him upright. "Don't fall asleep, please"  
  
"Buffy" Angel said softly and almost a whisper. Lifting his hand up to her cheek and brushing it softly, he collapsed onto the floor.  
  
  
  
"I couldn't find her," Riley panted as he returned to Giles' apartment. By now the whole gang, minus the Slayer was present.  
  
"What if she hurts Giles?" Willow asked worriedly.  
  
"Or worse" Xander added, still upset about earlier argument.  
  
"Don't say it Xander" Willow scolded. Xander was silenced. Everyone looked to Giles for a comforting answer.  
  
"She said she was going to patrol near Adam's cave before she left here" Giles started "so she could be around that area"  
  
"I'll do a sweep," Riley said  
  
"And I'll stay here, not getting hurt. Or maybe I can join the army" Xander added sarcastically. Willow looked at him in disbelief.  
  
"Xander, can't you drop it now! Buffy could be really hurt and all you can think about is yourself. God you sound like Cordelia"  
  
"Who's Cordelia" Anya prodded.  
  
"No one" Xander said solemnly. "A friend"  
  
"Girlfriend" Willow bitched.  
  
"I thought I was your girlfriend" Anya asked, hurt.  
  
"You know, I don't need this from anyone" Xander got up and stormed towards the door. "No one! Especially not.Buffy!" he said surprised as he opened the door.  
  
"Hi guys," she said as a silence filled the room. "I need your help"  
  
The gang was surprised to see Buffy, especially Riley.  
  
"I won't do that sweep then Giles" riley said.  
  
"No...i suppose that wont be necessary now" the ex-watcher replied, taking off his glasses and rubbing the lenses with his shirt. An awkward silence fell in the room. Buffy broke it.  
  
"I need your help," she repeated.  
  
"Right, yes of course" Giles hurried her into the lounge. "How can we help?" Buffy shifted her weight and looked at Willow.  
  
"I need your help really Will, in private" Buffy looked at Giles.  
  
"Yes, of course, through there" Giles pointed to the back room past the kitchen. Buffy went through to it and Willow followed.  
  
Willow closed the door behind her and looked at Buffy. She could see she has been crying.  
  
"Buffy what is it?" Willow asked concerned.  
  
"Well, uh.I need you to come to the mansion with me.to Angel" Buffy sighed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Whats going on Buffy? What is Angel doing at the mansion?" Willow prodded. Buffy began to cry and as the tears burnt her cool skin, Willow knew.  
  
"Dying" Buffy, said in sorrow. She wiped her tears on her sweater and straightened her hair.  
  
"I got chased by this demon" Buffy sniffed, "and fell in this ditch and was out cold for hours"  
  
"Oh Buffy" Willow offered a comforting hug.  
  
"Angel fought the demon away from my body an got real badly injured. I need you to help me patch him up"  
  
"Of course Buffy. Anything. Oh" Willow remembered  
  
"What?" Buffy asked  
  
"What do we tell Riley and the others?" Buffy thought for a second.  
  
"The truth" Willow followed her out of the room.  
  
Xander stood up when they came back into the room.  
  
"Buffy" he said "wassup?" Buffy looked at Willow for backup.  
  
"Me and Willow are going to the mansion" she paused and looked at Giles "To help Angel"  
  
"What?" riley snapped followed by a look from Giles. Buffy ignored them.  
  
"I got attacked by a demon. Giles you were right, I was tired and it nearly killed me. Angel killed it but he's in a really bad way" She looked deeper into Giles' eyes "Really bad"  
  
"What can we do?" Xander asked.  
  
"There are some bandages and some other first aid equipment in the bathroom" Giles sent Anya to get them.  
  
"Lets go, we can't have much time" Giles said. Buffy smiled weakly at him. The demon Angelus had hurt Giles more than anyone by killing Jenny Calender but Giles knew how much Angel, the demon with a soul, meant to his slayer.  
  
"I don't think so" Riley stood in the doorway, blocking Buffy's way out.  
  
"Riley move" Buffy ordered, the gang standing behind her silent.  
  
"He comes back for one night, beats the shit out of me and you go to him? What is wrong with this picture Buffy?"  
  
"He saved my life, I owe him that much" she gave in defence.  
  
"And?" riley questioned.  
  
"What? And what? Riley we have to go!" Buffy told him, loosing patients.  
  
"Tell me you don't still love him and I'll move" Riley folded his arms.  
  
"God Riley! Just move before I move you"  
  
"Tell me" Riley repeated.  
  
"This is your last warning Riley, move"  
  
"I'm not moving Buffy"  
  
"Fine, have it your way" Buffy pushed Riley back out into the courtyard where he hit the wall hard. As riley sank to the floor, the gang marched past out into the street.  
  
"Damn" Riley said to himself before he started coughing from the pain.  
  
Before they got to the great doors that led into Angel's Mansion, Buffy paused. She turned to the others.  
  
"Guys, I'd like for just me a Willow to do this, k?" The gang stood silent for a while.  
  
"Of course Buffy" Giles said comfortingly. "I should go, research.something" Giles hurried off. He didn't like being around Angel anymore than need be.  
  
"Yeah we should go.uh."  
  
"Help!" Anya finished for Xander, dragging him away. Buffy turned to Willow.  
  
"I need you to be prepared, he's in a bad way.and I mean."  
  
"Buffy!" Willow cut her off. "Hello? Queen of the morgue here" She smiled warmly. "I've seen mutilated bodies and I'm sure Angel has at least 75% of his skin left right?" She paused. "He does right?"  
  
"Yes Will, it's a couple of gashes but they are deep. I think they might need stitches" Willow held up a homemade first aid kit.  
  
"All in here. He's gonna be fine"  
  
As they entered the Mansion, Angel could feel her presence. He'd felt it way before she'd even got close to the Mansion. Buffy entered the room, followed by Willow.  
  
"Buffy?" Angel questioned from the bed. Willow flinched at the sight of his wounds.  
  
"Willow's gonna help me Angel" Buffy told him as she unbuttoned his bloodstained shirt.  
  
"Will, if I lift, you pull, ok?" Willow nodded. Buffy used all of her slayer strength she could muster to lift Angel's heavy and muscular torso. As she did so, Willow pulled the shirt from under him and headed for the bowl of hot water she had poured earlier as Buffy laid him back down.  
  
"Argh."Angel screamed in pain through clenched teeth as Buffy pulled away.  
  
"Sorry" She apologised. As willow placed the bowl on top of the nearby table, Buffy began to soak washcloths in it. She looked at Willow. "Antiseptic too?"  
  
"Antiseptic" Willow confirmed.  
  
"That's gonna sting" Buffy told her. Willow wasn't sure if she was joking but she knew it would hurt Angel with wounds that deep.  
  
A few hours later Angel was patched up and sleeping. Every now and then he would gasp in his sleep, maybe from the pain, but it pained Buffy to see him like it. Willow came up behind Buffy and laid her hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Thanks Will" Buffy smiled.  
  
"Hey, it's ok. Anytime. Just tell Angel when he wakes up not to make a habit of it" She giggled. She observed Buffy's expression of thought. "What are you thinking about?"  
  
"Riley. How can he ask.no, tell me not to help Angel. He doesn't know what we had. He never will" Buffy touched Angel's hand and held it to her lips.  
  
"Well, Riley's just a jerk. He's a big dumb jerk if you ask me" Buffy looked at her. "I'm just doing the best friend thing. It's sorta my job to degrade the bad boyfriend" She smiled and remembered when she had said similar things about Angel before Graduation. "I'm gonna go now Buffy. I have to meet Xander at the Bronze. You gonna be ok?"  
  
"Yes. Go. Have fun"  
  
"With Anya in the mix? Wish me luck" Willow trailed off as she exited the mansion.  
  
Angel was still asleep and Buffy watched him closely. He seemed more relaxed now his wounds were bandaged but still he was restless. Without a second thought, Buffy suddenly opened up to the almost unconscious form before her.  
  
"I love you Angel. I know it happened. How long did you think you could keep it from me with my kind of dream activity? I remember the demon, the kiss in the sunlight, the ice cream, and your humanity. What I don't understand is why you gave it up. I mean, you must of other wise we would be together and you would have your redemption.me" She paused to wipe a tear from her face. "I know you don't like Riley. Can u keep a secret?" She looked at his lifeless body. Not needing to breath gave the illusion of death. "I don't like him that much either. He was just rebound guy. After you left, I couldn't bare to be alone Angel. All this "normal life" crap.what was that about? I'm the slayer. Normal lives don't really exist in this line of work. Besides, a normal life meant I would have to give up the one thing that meant most to me in my entire life.you. I could never let you go" She ended and bowed her head, a tear falling onto the sheets. Still holding Buffy's Hand, and after hearing every word she had said, Angel weakly squeezed her hand. When Buffy looked up into his half open eyes, she smiled and thanked god he was alive.well, metaphorically speaking. Angel opened his mouth to say something to Buffy.  
  
"I.I love you" He smiled back at her and past all the pain and bloodshed he was her Buffy.  
  
END (want more? R&R and I'll see:D) 


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